Ch. 251; Vol. 10
Finally, a rumble in the sky. Rain and thunder had returned to St. Louis. And not just in the yard down the street and another one four neighborhoods over.
“Aren’t you thirsty out of your brain, Crackers?” Puck pet his creature with a laugh that said, Silly Girl.
Late to our parents’ church for a visit in heavy gray rain.
Something was being said later that afternoon about Francis’ cooking abilities. “Hey, I can actually do some pretty good stuff.”
“Then how come you always ask me to put your bread in the toaster when I come over?”
“Yeah, but there’s a difference between a sister and a mother doing it, instead of me.”
“I don’t think you can be talented at using a toaster…”
Dad slathered barbecue sauce onto two slices of bread. I don’t know why he does that.
“Dad, the Lyme Disease doctor told me how you can figure out really easy if your joint paint is from a tick-borne disease.” Carrie offered. “For three weeks….”
“Don’t eat?” Dad suggested, stuffing the “sandwich” in his mouth.
“Do the hokey pokey?” Rose grinned.
“Mom?” Puck crashed next to me on the couch. “I think I don’t have far sight, because I can’t see the numbers on the stove clock.”
It was almost time for him to go. We don’t own any Rams gear, so Puck was just in jeans, gray t-shirt, and red Chucks for the Home Opener downtown. I waved him off with Bær to join friends from church with free tickets.
After Uncle Balthasar dropped in and left, Francis walked upstairs modeling his black work Crocs. We laughed. Dad scolded Linnea for still sleeping on the bed in his office.
“Dad, I can’t until my room’s set up again.” The almost sixteen year-old who didn’t complain a drop when her elderly grandmother took over her room with an hour’s notice this summer, said.
“Then I’m going to come down there early in the morning clanging bells and stuff.”
He took her driving anyway, with Francis as back seat passenger, head hanging out the window in the wind like a puppy.
Rose snacked on Provel Cheese and a Coke, until Grandma Combs walked in the door with gifts for Joe and Jaya, who weren’t back yet, celebrating Jaya’s 23rd birthday a day early with her family. And a bag of Pretzel Rolls for Francis.
Francis walked into the kitchen to diagnose the situation, returning several minutes later. “I approve these pretzel bagels.”
About a ten-minute argument over who was going to pick up the ice cream cake. And what to write on it. Suggestions like “Happy Birthday, Beauty and the Beast”, etc.
I guess dinner was really one big Laugh Till You Cry Memory Share, which birthday/holiday dinners generally are. Most of these memories involve the English family. The biggest laugh being that one golden moment in Carrie’s childhood when she helped convince Diana to ride her bike backwards down a hill. I think Diana was grounded for a month.
And my boys had seen a home opener winner, including vouchers for hot dogs, orange Sunkist soda [Puck found room in his stomach for 22 oz.; maybe his first complete soda, ever], and a little cotton candy.